Dilferules's 1988-present Oakland A's autograph thread

[Dilferules]

Finally sucked it up and bought one:

Hideki Matsui - Spent one season with the A's, 2011. The only A's cards he got were in the Topps Attax set so I assume Topps didn't have a regular card deal with him that year but they had a different deal for "game" cards like Attax that they could include him in. He wasn't good that year but it was fun to have a legit star on a bad team.

Now at 712/719 - need 4 players from this year and 3 very obscure guys from 20+ years ago.

 

[Dilferules]

One upgrade today, and I fell behind a little with the recent debuts of JP Sears and Cal Stevenson...haven't found anything for them yet.

Doug Jones - I had him on a non-A's card and upgraded to this homemade religious testimony card that I guess he sent out with TTM requests. The shadow effect reminds me of 1992 Upper Deck a little.

Down to 712/721 now. At least my needs are still in the single digits.

 

[Therion]

I can confirm that these were obtained by sending him an autograph request. I'm sure it is obvious, but I can never decipher what the PTL means.

 

[MrMet2.0]

I can confirm that these were obtained by sending him an autograph request. I'm sure it is obvious, but I can never decipher what the PTL means.

Pickles taste lousy …I’m not a religious man, but I’d really guess….praise the lord…


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[Therion]

Makes sense!

 

[Dilferules]

The A's continue to say screw it and call up guys. In the last ten days we've had the debuts of top prospect Shea Langeliers plus David MacKinnon and Norge Ruiz. Luckily I had something for two of them, MacKinnon is tougher.

Shea Langeliers - Was doing great in the minors after the A's picked him up in the Matt Olson trade, and it was time to come up. I guess this means Sean Murphy will for sure be traded this winter.

Norge Ruiz - I had given up on him a long time ago because I hadn't heard much about him, but he was promoted last week (and got absolutely wrecked in one relief appearance). I've had this Leaf Metal signature sitting around for 5 years.

So that increases my needs to 10, 714/724.

 

[Dilferules]

Four debuts since my last update as the A's just keep throwing new guys out there. I don't have anything of Ken Waldichuk (expensive) and Tyler Cyr (obscure) but I do have these two:

Joel Payamps - Reliever has already made 7 appearances and is pitching well.

Cody Thomas - Hitting .438 through his first 5 games. Brother-in-law of Bobby Witt Jr.

2 new hits and 2 new misses means I am at 716/728 now.

 

[Dilferules]

One new one:

Collin Wiles - Made his MLB debut today, ten years after being drafted by the Rangers. Got knocked around for 2 runs in one and a third innings.

Staying at 12 needed, 717/729.

 

[Dilferules]

A surprise call-up:

Jordan Diaz - A bit of an actual prospect this time rather than a middle reliever or somebody picked up on waivers. Went 1 for 3 in his debut.

Now at 718/730.

 

[Dilferules]

Whew that terrible season is finally over. In total there were FORTY new A's in 2022, which is a good recipe for losing 102 games. There were three new guys since my last update, and I was able to pick up autos of all of them plus one upgrade:

Conner Capel - Hit .371 in 13 games! Just keep that up for 162 games next year!

Ernie Clement - Not as successful in 6 games. It seems like he used to be a bit of a touted prospect so who knows, but being picked up on waivers usually doesn't equal a future star.

Nate Mondou - Infielder made it into 1 game and went 0 for 3 with 1 walk. Who knows if he ever makes it back.

Kevin Smith - A logoless Oakland card is an upgrade over a Blue Jays auto. Looks like he has one or two Topps A's autos out now so I'll have to pick up one of those as well.

So that ends the season at 721/733 - 9 of my 12 needs are from this year's debuts. I'll post an updated checklist shortly.

 

[Dilferules]

The 2022 season is mercifully in the books so there won't be any new A's until opening day 2023 - a good time to update the list of 1988-present A's that I do not yet have an autograph of:

Larry Arndt, 1989
Jonah Bride, 2022
Tyler Cyr, 2022
Marcus Jones, 2000
Jared Koenig, 2022
David MacKinnon, 2022
David McKay, 2022
Steve Phoenix, 1994
JP Sears, 2022
Kirby Snead, 2022
Cal Stevenson, 2022
Ken Waldichuk, 2022

728/733 as of 3/1/2023.

 

[Dilferules]

Two pickups to get my needs back down to ten:

Tyler Cyr - No MLB cards out there so I settled for this signed 4x6 photo. He did pretty well in 11 games at the end of the season so perhaps he'll be in the mix for a bullpen spot in 2023.

Ken Waldichuk - Picked up in the Frankie Montas trade, he started 7 games for the A's and didn't do so great at first but finished strong in his last 2. He's a good enough prospect that I would imagine he will have several 2023 RC autographs.

Down to 723/733.

 

[Dilferules]

Small upgrade for Kevin Smith, from a Panini logoless "Oakland" card to this legit Topps A's card.

 

[Dilferules]

One new and one upgrade:

Cal Stevenson - He doesn't have many cards so I had to settle for this Heritage Minor League leaders card. Bonus auto of some guy.

Domingo Acevedo - This is an upgrade from a Bowman Chrome Yankees auto.

My needs are back down below 10, currently at 724/733.

 

[RNCoyote]

Cal Stevenson - He doesn't have many cards so I had to settle for this Heritage Minor League leaders card. Bonus auto of some guy.

that guy is a Rangers farm hand. He might have a chance to make it despite the team need hefty amount of arms on the mound

 

[Dilferules]

Went over 2 months with nothing then got a new one and an upgrade on the same day:

Jonah Bride - On a 2020 team card, which is kind of silly because he wasn't anywhere near the majors at that time so he's definitely not pictured on the card. I guess marginally better than an index card. I'll have to put a sticky note on the back to remember who it is.

Christian Lopes - This is an upgrade from an old Team USA card. Pretty surprised he got an auto in Topps Chrome Update, he only played 4 games with the A's as a 29 year old rookie. Awesome that he actually got an A's card.

That gets me to 725/733.

 

[Dilferules]

Another 2022 Topps Chrome Update upgrade:

Adam Oller - Picked up from the Mets in the Chris Bassitt trade and kind of stunk it up with the A's in his first season. Pleasantly surprised he got an A's auto in this set, though. This is an upgrade from a signed Mets minor league team set card.

Still at 725/733.

 

[Dilferules]

One new one:

David McKay - Pitched a single game for the A's in 2022. Incredibly he's pitched 5 MLB games since 2020...for 4 different teams. Not to be confused with former A's player and coach Dave McKay.

Now at 726/733. It would be nice to at least find the remaining 4 2022 guys I need before opening day. JP Sears did have an autograph in 2022 Chrome Update (a Yankees card, ew) but I haven't found one for a price I like.

 

[Dilferules]

A new one today:

JP Sears - Picked up in the Frankie Montas trade, he pitched quite a bit for the A's last year and has a shot at a rotation spot in 2023. I believe this is his only certified auto so far. hopefully he gets one with an A's picture.

Currently 727/733, missing three from 2022 and three from 20+ years ago.

 

[Dilferules]

With my wantlist so small at the moment it was a good time to hunt down some easy upgrades. Here's the first batch of 3:

Brad Komminsk - Upgrade from a Braves 1985 Donruss card.

Jeff Russell - Upgrade from a Rangers card in my 1988 Topps set.

Kevin Seitzer - Upgrade from a Royals card in my 1988 Topps set.